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Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service - … · Occupational Therapy Centralized...
Transcript of Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service - … · Occupational Therapy Centralized...
Occupational Therapy Centralized Application ServiceWelcome to OTCAS
In an effort to simplify the application process for prospective occupational therapist (OT) students
and to facilitate the admissions process for professional OT educational programs, the American
Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), first launched the Occupational Therapist Centralized
Application Service (OTCAS) on August 2, 2010.
By joining OTCAS, your occupational therapy program will become part of a national platform for
promotion and visibility, data collection and management, and the sharing of best practices. OTCAS
is administered through a partnership between the AOTA and Liaison International, the leader in
centralized application services (“CASTM“) for the health professions.
Participation in OTCAS
OTCAS is available at no cost to all AOTA Masters and
Doctoral member programs.
Application Cycle
Application Cycle
2014-2015 cycle launch on July 14, 2014
Student Application Fees
$125.00 First designation
$45.00 Each additional
Benefits to Occupational Therapy Programs
• Attractive, modern, online applications for prospective
students
• Exposure to a broader national spectrum of applicants
• A platform to cultivate and recruit applicants as soon as
an OTCAS account is created
• CRM tools enable targeted communications and
messaging to in-progress applicants
• Access to secure, Web-based admissions software to
make admissions decisions
• Rich database allows for comparative data on GPAs,
test scores, demographic information, and other
academic criteria
• Analytic platform supports automatic ranking and
scoring of applicants based on customizable criteria
• Ideal platform for sharing best practices
• Decrease in administrative burdens enabled by
integrated service model, in which transcripts are
received, individual and aggregate GPAs are calculated,
application documents are scanned, and support is
provided to applicants via telephone, email, and social
media
OTCAS is a service of the AOTA. All admissions decisions
are made solely by participating programs.
Benefits to OTCAS Applicants
• Convenient and efficient process to apply
to multiple programs using a single online
application
• Comprehensive checklist and instructions
enable easy navigation
• Real-time updates allow applicants to check
the status of their applications at any time
from a computer or mobile device
• Comprehensive support and
one-point-of-contact model
How OTCAS Works
As soon as a prospective student begins an application, OTCAS makes that application
available for online viewing by an admissions officer at your program..
Through the Applicant Portal of OTCAS, you can communicate with applicants at all
stages of the application process. For instance, you might use the tools in OTCAS to
target individuals who have begun applications but not submitted them. In another
scenario, you might opt to send an invitation to tour the campus or schedule an
interview with all applicants that meet particular GPA criteria.
Once a prospective student has submitted an application, OTCAS staff verify reported
coursework and degrees, calculate GPAs, and bundle all supporting documentation
(including letters of reference, essays and self-reported test scores) into one online
application. Participating programs can request that students submit school-specific
essays or administer a supplemental application.
Applications and applicant data may be accessed in real-time within the Web-based
Admissions Management Module that enables not only the viewing of data, but also the
configuration of individual programs’ distinctive admissions processes.
Each admissions department can tailor the software to their unique needs in multiple
ways, including:
• setting customized applicant statuses
• calculating customized GPAs
• scoring applicants within a specific academic program’s rubric
• issuing customized communications to one, a group of, or all applicants
The Web-based architecture means that there is no software to install and programs can
access applications anytime, anywhere over a secure internet connection. Programs can
grant access to any staff or faculty they wish, maintaining complete control of each user’s
rights and roles for system administration and/or assigning reviewers.
Learn More
Valeta Njoroge Education Operations Coordinator Academic & Scientific Affairs Division American Occupational Therapy Association Phone: (301) 652-2682 (x2932) Email: [email protected]
Jessica Salefski ScottDirector of Application ServicesLiaison InternationalPhone: (617) 612-2083Email: [email protected]
About American Occupational Therapy Association The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is the national professional association established to represent the interests and concerns of occupational therapy practitioners and students of occupational therapy and to improve the quality of occupational therapy services. Current AOTA membership is approximately 50,000, including occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and occupational therapy students. AOTA’s major programs and activities are directed toward assuring the quality of occupational therapy services; improving consumer access to health care services, and promoting the professional development of members. AOTA educates the public and advances the profession by providing resources, setting standards, and serving as an advocate to improve health care.
About Liaison InternationalLiaison International provides leading admissions management solutions to higher education. For more than 20 years, the firm has maintained strong relationships with educational associations and academic programs, and powers over 4,000 admissions offices with its Centralized Application Services (CAS) and its UniCAS product. Its comprehensive software, integrated services, and data analytics platform enables admissions staff to focus on their core responsibilities of recruiting and enrolling the best-fit applicants into their programs.